1905 to 1972 In 1956, the United States, Canada, and Mexico came to an agreement with the
American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the
Automobile Manufacturers Association and the
National Safety Council that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles (except those for
motorcycles) at in height by in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first New Hampshire license plate that complied with these standards.
1973 to present In 1977, the
U.S. Supreme Court ruled that vehicle owners may cover up the mottos that a state places on its license plates. The case began in 1974 when George Maynard, a
Jehovah's Witness from
Claremont, New Hampshire, and his wife taped over the "Live Free or Die" motto on their plates. Maynard, who argued that the motto violated his religious beliefs, subsequently spent 15 days in jail for refusing to pay the $75 fine imposed for covering up the motto (). Chief Justice
Warren E. Burger stated, "The
First Amendment protects the right of individuals to hold a point of view different from the majority and to refuse to foster, in the way New Hampshire commands, an idea they find morally objectionable." ==County coding==